Oh, that peaceful left

In Seattle, protesters threw rocks and bottles at police officers and news crews. As they moved through downtown Seattle to another neighborhood, they flung construction street barriers, trash cans and newspaper bins on the streets in an attempt to stop police officers. Windows of businesses were broken and vehicles with people in them were banged around.

At one point, a crew from CBS Seattle affiliate KIRO-TV was surrounded by rowdy protesters. They spit and sprayed Silly String on KIRO reporter David Ham and hit his photographer, the station reports.

Police used their bikes to shield businesses and eventually began to use pepper spray and “flash bang’ grenades — releasing a flash of light, smoke and a loud noise — to disperse the crowd. But that pushed the group to another nearby neighborhood, and they left overturned trash cans and debris on the street.

The department said one officer was injured after being hit by an object.

Initially, the protesters concentrated on a business sector of downtown Seattle.

This is the second year in a row violence has broken out during May Day in Seattle. Last year, anarchists broke windows of store fronts, including Niketown, and vehicles and used smoke bombs. Protesters also targeted a federal building, breaking windows and doors.